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Akademie X: Lessons in Art + Life
Assembled from the wisdom of 36 legendary art teachers – all of them artists or critics at the top of their field – Akademie X: Lessons in Art + Life is an ideal curriculum for the aspiring artist.
Each of the book’s "tutors" has provided a unique lesson that aims to provoke, inspire and stimulate the aspiring artist. These lessons cover some combination of the following: technical advice (e.g. don’t make a sculpture bigger than your studio door), assignments (some of which will take five minutes to complete, others five years), tips for avoiding creative ruts (including suggestions for mind‐expanding materials to read, watch or listen to), principles of careful looking (demonstrated with images of artworks, photographs, films or even billboard advertisements), advice on the daily practice of art (how to balance time alone in the studio with building an artistic community), career pointers (how to prepare for a studio visit from a curator or gallerist) and personal anecdotes (e.g. stories from the instructor’s own humble beginnings). Taken together, these lessons offer the reader a set of tools for thinking, seeing and living as an artist.
Not only is Akademie X: Lessons in Art + Life the first illustrated text book of its kind for artists, but it will also appeal to anyone interested in contemporary art, providing first hand revelations into the philosophies and techniques of some of the world’s best artists and writers.
Each of the book’s "tutors" has provided a unique lesson that aims to provoke, inspire and stimulate the aspiring artist. These lessons cover some combination of the following: technical advice (e.g. don’t make a sculpture bigger than your studio door), assignments (some of which will take five minutes to complete, others five years), tips for avoiding creative ruts (including suggestions for mind‐expanding materials to read, watch or listen to), principles of careful looking (demonstrated with images of artworks, photographs, films or even billboard advertisements), advice on the daily practice of art (how to balance time alone in the studio with building an artistic community), career pointers (how to prepare for a studio visit from a curator or gallerist) and personal anecdotes (e.g. stories from the instructor’s own humble beginnings). Taken together, these lessons offer the reader a set of tools for thinking, seeing and living as an artist.
Not only is Akademie X: Lessons in Art + Life the first illustrated text book of its kind for artists, but it will also appeal to anyone interested in contemporary art, providing first hand revelations into the philosophies and techniques of some of the world’s best artists and writers.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2015
31 people are currently reading
655 people want to read
About the author
Marina Abramović
86 books750 followersSince the beginning of her career in Belgrade during the early 1970s, Marina Abramovic has pioneered performance as a visual art form, creating some of the most important early works. The body has always been both her subject and medium. Exploring her physical and mental limits in works that ritualize the simple actions of everyday life, she has withstood pain, exhaustion and danger in her quest for emotional and spiritual transformation. From 1975–88, Abramovic and the German artist Ulay performed together, dealing with relations of duality. Abramovic returned to solo performances in 1989.
She has presented her work at major institutions in the US and Europe, including the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven,1985; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, 1990; Neue National Galerie, Berlin, 1993, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, 1995. She has also participated in many large-scale international exhibitions including the Venice Biennale (1976 and 1997) and Documenta VI, VII and IX, Kassel (1977, 1982 and 1992). Recent performances include "The House With The Ocean View" at Sean Kelly Gallery, New York in 2002, and the Performance "7 Easy Pieces" at Guggenheim Museum, New York in 2005. In 2010, Abramovic had her first major U.S. retrospective and simultaneously performed for over 700 hours in “The Artist is Present” at Museum of Modern Art, New York. Using herself and the public as medium, Abramovic performed for three months at the Serpentine Gallery in London, 2014; the piece was titled after the duration of the work, “512 Hours”.
She was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale for the video installation and performance “Balkan Baroque.” In 2008 she was decorated with the Austrian Commander Cross for her contribution to Art History. In 2013, the French Minister of Culture accepted her as an Officer to the Order of Arts and Letters. In addition to these and other awards, Abramovic also holds multiple honorary doctorates from institutions around the world.
Abramovic founded the Marina Abramovic Institute (MAI), a platform for immaterial and long durational work to create new possibilities for collaboration among thinkers of all fields. The institute inhabited its most complete form to date in 2016 in collaboration with NEON in “As One”, Benaki Museum, Athens.
She has presented her work at major institutions in the US and Europe, including the Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven,1985; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, 1990; Neue National Galerie, Berlin, 1993, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, 1995. She has also participated in many large-scale international exhibitions including the Venice Biennale (1976 and 1997) and Documenta VI, VII and IX, Kassel (1977, 1982 and 1992). Recent performances include "The House With The Ocean View" at Sean Kelly Gallery, New York in 2002, and the Performance "7 Easy Pieces" at Guggenheim Museum, New York in 2005. In 2010, Abramovic had her first major U.S. retrospective and simultaneously performed for over 700 hours in “The Artist is Present” at Museum of Modern Art, New York. Using herself and the public as medium, Abramovic performed for three months at the Serpentine Gallery in London, 2014; the piece was titled after the duration of the work, “512 Hours”.
She was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale for the video installation and performance “Balkan Baroque.” In 2008 she was decorated with the Austrian Commander Cross for her contribution to Art History. In 2013, the French Minister of Culture accepted her as an Officer to the Order of Arts and Letters. In addition to these and other awards, Abramovic also holds multiple honorary doctorates from institutions around the world.
Abramovic founded the Marina Abramovic Institute (MAI), a platform for immaterial and long durational work to create new possibilities for collaboration among thinkers of all fields. The institute inhabited its most complete form to date in 2016 in collaboration with NEON in “As One”, Benaki Museum, Athens.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 10, 2016
This is a really fabulous book. It's not by Marina Abramovic - she's just one of many artists who basically share their advice to anyone who's interested in becoming an artist. Theirs enough variety in the range of artists and points of view that I think anyone will find ideas to inspire you to keep making art no matter what the outside forces of the world and the art world may throw at you.
April 2, 2018
Highly disappointing. The idea behind this book is extremely fascinating however, it is let down by several factors.
1. All the contributing artists are from the same generation. It would have been nice to see the contrast between an older generation of artists to that of the newer ones.
2. All these artists work in similar mediums. Again, it would have been much more interesting to read the opinions and philosophies of writers, actors, dancers, painters, designers, architects etc. rather than artists all from the same category.
3. There is little structure in the book's layout. For some it is in an interview style, but for most, there are no questions, so you have no idea what the artist is responding to, and they babble on about nothing.
4. The assigned reading/viewing/listening... again interesting idea but who really has the time to look at all of them.
However I do recognise that I may be biased, as most of the language goes over my head and I have little to no interest in the type of art within the book, which consists of tyres and buckets as sculpture and people sitting in chairs for an hour as a "performance".
1. All the contributing artists are from the same generation. It would have been nice to see the contrast between an older generation of artists to that of the newer ones.
2. All these artists work in similar mediums. Again, it would have been much more interesting to read the opinions and philosophies of writers, actors, dancers, painters, designers, architects etc. rather than artists all from the same category.
3. There is little structure in the book's layout. For some it is in an interview style, but for most, there are no questions, so you have no idea what the artist is responding to, and they babble on about nothing.
4. The assigned reading/viewing/listening... again interesting idea but who really has the time to look at all of them.
However I do recognise that I may be biased, as most of the language goes over my head and I have little to no interest in the type of art within the book, which consists of tyres and buckets as sculpture and people sitting in chairs for an hour as a "performance".
August 4, 2018
God damn!!! Best artist advice book I have ever read. A lot of insightful things written by interesting people, really affected me. The best part is the advice sometimes even contradicts itself so you can take what you want and leave the rest. Lol
November 22, 2019
I’m not a visual/fine/performance artist, but one of my characters is; an enlightening and inspiring peek into the minds of many modern/contemporary artists working in multiple disciplines.
November 1, 2021
Art school costs an average of $42,000
This book costs only $40
You can get a high quality art education from this book.
The catch is that you have to be willing to put in the work.
Each chapter is written by a different successful artist, many of whom have held teaching positions.
At the end of each chapter, the teacher provides an assigned reading list, with some including films to watch or music to listen to (one even recommends a beer to drink).
YOU WILL ONLY GET THE HIGHEST VALUE FROM THIS BOOK BY READING THE ASSIGNED READINGS.
Reading Akademie X itself is a good start, but if you mean business, do yourself a favor and read at least some of the assigned reading. Adding all the reading lists together comes to a total of over 200 books, articles, and essays, so if that seems intimidating, pick a couple of the artists you gravitate toward and go deep on their chapter.
Some of the books being recommended are challenging. The second chapter of the book belongs to Walaed Beshty who throws you into the deep end of the pool, recommending Prisms by Theodor Adorno, The Arcades Project by Walter Benjamin, several other dense books, a handfull of individual essays, and an article from the New York Times.
Why put yourself through this torture? Because you want to transform your understanding of art and the art you make. You're doing this because you want to git gud.
I intend to read through the whole reading list over the next few years. Focus pocus.
I made this book my textbook because I refuse to go into debt to get an education.
I'm already starting to feel bad for MFA students, imagine going into debt to read on a schedule.
But you're smarter than that, you have this book, and with your determination, patience, and focus, it's gold in your hands.
This book costs only $40
You can get a high quality art education from this book.
The catch is that you have to be willing to put in the work.
Each chapter is written by a different successful artist, many of whom have held teaching positions.
At the end of each chapter, the teacher provides an assigned reading list, with some including films to watch or music to listen to (one even recommends a beer to drink).
YOU WILL ONLY GET THE HIGHEST VALUE FROM THIS BOOK BY READING THE ASSIGNED READINGS.
Reading Akademie X itself is a good start, but if you mean business, do yourself a favor and read at least some of the assigned reading. Adding all the reading lists together comes to a total of over 200 books, articles, and essays, so if that seems intimidating, pick a couple of the artists you gravitate toward and go deep on their chapter.
Some of the books being recommended are challenging. The second chapter of the book belongs to Walaed Beshty who throws you into the deep end of the pool, recommending Prisms by Theodor Adorno, The Arcades Project by Walter Benjamin, several other dense books, a handfull of individual essays, and an article from the New York Times.
Why put yourself through this torture? Because you want to transform your understanding of art and the art you make. You're doing this because you want to git gud.
I intend to read through the whole reading list over the next few years. Focus pocus.
I made this book my textbook because I refuse to go into debt to get an education.
I'm already starting to feel bad for MFA students, imagine going into debt to read on a schedule.
But you're smarter than that, you have this book, and with your determination, patience, and focus, it's gold in your hands.
Read
May 13, 2016709.05 A3132 2015
September 11, 2016
This one is verging on 5 stars. I will be coming back to it again and again!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews